Degreasing machine



y 1939- G. EDHOFER El AL ,1

DEGREASING MACHINE Original Filed July 29, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z'Z Ve/ZZO/m 6220139 Echafcr g 6 60;:9 Wolff May 16, 1939. G. EDHOFER El AL DEGREASING MACHINE Original Filed July 29, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 xm mw k u w u Patented May 16, 1939 I 2,158,621

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE pseanasnve mourns Georg Edhofer and Georg Wolfl', Munich, Ger,- many, assignors to Dr. Alexander Wacker Gesellschaft fiir Elektrochemischer' Indnstrie, G. in. b. 11., Munich, Bavaria, Germany Original application July 29, 1933, Serial No. 682,823. Divided and this application March 15, 1937, Serial No. 133,853. In Germany February 1, 1933 7 Claims. (Cl. 202-168) This invention relates to the cleaning of metal object is to provide an apparatus of this characarticles, and has to do with means for immerster in which the articles being cleaned may be ing articles in a solvent for removing grease and, rotated and thoroughly agitated within the tank, dirt from such articles. when the latter is closed, for efiecting a thorough It is known to remove grease and dirt from cleaning operation of the articles and facilitating 5 metal articles by immersing them in a suitable drying thereof. Another object of our invention solvent, in liquid or vapor form, the solvent be- -'is to provide means whereby the portion of the ing disposed within an open top tank through tank containin the liquid solvent and the vathe top of which the articles are inserted and pors thereof is closed to the atmosphere during removed. The solvents used are such that the removal of the cleaned articles and the placing in vapors thereof are of a higher specific gravity the tank of a second batch of articles to be than air, such as trichlorethylene, perchlorethylcleaned. Further objects and advantages of our ene, or carbon tetrachloride. In practice, a suitinvention will appear from the detail description.

able cooling device is provided in the upper por- Inthe drawings:

tion of the tank for condensing the vapors gen- Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view erated from the liquid solvent, which is in the through the apparatus shown in Figure 2. I lower portion of the tank and is heated by suit- Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view able means. The cooling device condenses the through an apparatus embodying our invention, solvent vapors so as to prevent escape thereof to taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

0 the atmosphere. After the articles have been This application is a division of our copendimmersed in the solvent liquid or vapor, as the ing application for Means for degreasing and case may be, they are raised into the upper porcleaning metal articles, Serial No. 682,823, filed tion of the tank, above the vapor zone, where July 29, 1933.

they are permitted to dry and are then removed I In the form of apparatus illustrated, casing I from the tank. Due to the presence of the cooling I0 is provided, at the lower portion thereof, with 26 device, the major portion of the tank is filled two solvent liquid receiving tanks la and lb,

with cool air which takes up a small amount of separated by a plate 10. Each of the tanks is the solvent vapors by diffusion. Under unfavorprovided, at the bottom thereof, with a trough able conditions, particularly if there is a draft 'ld' in'which is removably supported a sediment 0 or the air in the tank is agitated, the cold air receiving tray 1e conveniently provided with lat-'30 and the vapors diffused therein are apt to escape eral flanges which seat upon angle strips secured to the atmosphere, creating a disagreeable and to the side walls of the trough, as shown. A objectionable odor. cooling coil 46 is mounted in the upper portion When using apparatus of the character above of the casing above a trough 41 provided with a,

6 referred to, the articles may be placedin suitdischarge tube 48 which delivers to tanklb con- 36 able baskets or containers which are moved up densate which drips from the coil into the trough. and down in the tank with a view to facilitating A shaft II is rockably mounted through side cleaning-of the articles. While this facilitates wall Id of easing lc, there being a stufflng box cleaning of the articles, it is open to the objecl2 about this shaft to prevent escape there- 0 tion that it causes-a certain amount of agitation about of solvent vapor from within the casing.

of air in the tank, thus increasing the liability Shaft H is bored out from its inner end and of'escape to the atmosphere of air and solvent snugly receives a shaft l3 rotatably mounted vapors from the tank. Also, this vertical up and through side wall le of easing lc, there being a down movement or reciprocation of the articles stufling box '4 about shaft l3.

5 is not suflicient toassure thorough cleaningof A sprocket wheel I9 is secured on shaft I3,

hollow articles, and thorough removal therefrom within the casing to and adjacent wall le thereof the solvent liquid when the articles are disof, and is connected by a sprocket chain 20 to a posed in the upper portion of the tank for drying. sprocket wheel 2| secured on a stud 22 project- One of the main objects of our invention is to ing from one end ofa rectangular frame 23a,

0 provide an apparatus suitable for cleaning ar- A stud 24 projects from the other end of frame ticles in the manner above referred to, this ap- 23a, and these two studs are rockably mounted paratus embodying a tank which. is effectively inthe outer ends of arms 25 provided at their closed to the atmosphere during the cleaning opother ends with collars 26. suitably secured up- I eration so as to prevent escape from the tank a on shaft II for turning movementtherewith.

5 of the vapors of the solvent liquid. A further Plates 49 extend upward and inward from the front and back walls of the casing and are spaced at their upper edges from top plates 50 extending inward from said walls of the casing, the plates 49 and 56 and the adjacent portions of they casing a cylinder.

walls defining hoods open at their inner sides at 5i and communicating, by means of conduits 52 with the intake side of a blower 58 of known type. This blower and the motor 54 therefor are conveniently mounted on a bracket 55 suitably secured to the casing. Outlet fitting 56 of the blower may be connected, by a suitable conduit, to a space for discharging the air and vapor which may be withdrawn from the hood, the point of discharge being located exterior of the spaoein which the apparatus is disposed.

The space between the hoods is closed by two cover members 58, each constituting a segment of The cover members are pivotally mounted on the casing at the lower ends of the side walls of said membersat 58. Preferably, the cover members are interconnected by meshing pinions 60 secured to the pivots of the cover members for turning therewith, so that when either cover member is moved equal and correspending movement will be imparted to the other cover member, in a known manner. Each of the cover members is provided with a suitablehandle 6| for convenience in operating the, same,

" and these handles are disposed in overlapping or crossed relation when the cover members are closed, as shown in Figure 2. Each cover member 58 is provided, at the lower edge thereof, with a bead 62 which contacts a bead 63 at the upper end of the associated plate 48 and forms therewith a substantially air tight closure, when the cover member is in closed position.

Two U-shaped straps or stirrups 64 are suitably secured to the depend from frame 28a. Thesestirrups receive the lower portion of a perforated basket 65 disposed within the frame and provided with a removable cover 66. Upwardly and inwardly inclined arms 61 are suitably secured to the frame 23:: at the ends thereof. These arms are of hooked shape at their upper ends and receive a slotted plate 68 which extends the length of frame 2311. A pressure screw 69 threads through plate 68 and has a loose nut connecting,'in a known manner, to a pressure bar 16 which extends lengthwise of basket 65 and its provided with depending lugs H which bear. upon the top of cover 66 of the basket. This provides means for effectively securing the basket within the frame with expedition and facility.

A plate I2, in the form of a segment of a cylinder and curved on the same radius as the cover members 58, is suitably supported by arms 25 and segments I8, at each end of this plate, extend upwardly therefrom between the cooling coil 46 .and the adjacent supporting arm 25. When the frame 230 is in its uppermost position, shown in full lines, it is disposed within a cylinder generated by movement of either of the cover members 58 on its pivot. When the cover members are moved into full open position, the beads 62 at the lower edges thereof contact beads 14 at the edges of plate 12 so as to form substantially airtight closures therewith, and the upper portions of the cover members fit snugly against beads 63 of plates 49, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2. The basket 65 is thus bility of escape to the atmosphere of vapors from the interior of the casing. Any cool air-containing diflused vapors, which may tend to escape through the top of the casing, is drawn into the hoods through openings 5| thereof, this air and the vapors contained thereby being deliveredi to a point remote from the space in which the apparatus is disposed-by means of the'suction suction means is eflective for withdrawing air and diffused vapors from the upper portion of easing l c from the zone about basket'65. This induces flow of air currents over and through the basket about the articles therein, which is conducive to increased rapidity in drying of the articles, particularly if the basket'is rotated.

A crank handle 15 is suitably secured on the outer end of shaft l I for turning the latter in desired direction. A counterweight 16, suitably secured to and depending from the crank handle l5, normally serves to hold the frame 23a in its uppermost position. By means of this crank handle I5, the shaft Il may be turned so as to lower the basket into either tank 1a or tank lb,

as desired. A sprocket wheel H is secured on the outer end of shaft l8 and is connected by a sprocket chain I8 to a sprocket wheel I9 secured on one end of a shaft 88 rotatably mounted exterior of the casing and transversely thereof, in

suitable bearing brackets 8| secured to the casing in a known manner. A crank handle 82 is secured to the other end of shaft for imparting rotation thereto and thus rotating shaft I3. This provides means for rotating frame 23a, and the basket mounted therein, in any position of this frame within the casing.

A pipe frame 83 of U-shape in plan is disposed at one end of casing lo, and arms 84 of this pipe frame extend lengthwise of the casing through tanks Ia and lb. The portion of the respective arms 84 which isdisposed within tank lb is provided with slots or perforations 85, arms 84 being closed at the ends thereof within tank lb. A gooseneck 86 connects the mid point of the bight portion of pipe frame 83 to the top of a boiler or still 81 disposedat one side of casing I c. This still is enclosed by a suitable housing 88 and is provided with a concaved bottom wall 89 beneath which is disposed suitable heating'means, such as a gas burner 98 of known type, within the lower portion of the housing. A strip Si is suitably supported in spaced relation to the upper portion of plate 1c and defines therewith an overflow opening from tank Ia to tank lb. An overflow pipe 92, provided with a suitable control valve 93 of known type, opens into tank Ia below the upper edge of plate 10. This pipe is connected, at its other end, to a drain pipe 95, provided with asuitable control valve 86 of known type, this drain pipe opening into the still through the bottom wall-89 thereof.

After the basket 65, containing the articles to be cleaned, has been suitably secured in frame 23a, and the cover members 58 have been closed, shaft H is turned so as to move the basket into the dotted line position of Figure 2, thus immerscasing for moving said supporting means from' ing the articles in the liquid solvent within tank la. The basket may be rotated, in this position, to facilitate cleaning of the articles. The basket may then be positioned within the tank lb, by turning shaft H in the opposite direction, and again rotated with the articles immersedin the liquid of tank Tb, thus thoroughly rinsing the articles and removing therefrom any particles of grease or other foreign materials which may not have been removed by the first treatment in tank 1a. After the articles have been thoroughly rinsed, the shaft l l is turned into' position to dispose the basket 65 in its uppermost position, after which the articles are dried and the basket is re.

moved and replaced by a second basket containing articles to be cleaned, in the manner previously described. The liquid solvent in tank la is heated by the hot vapors passing through the arms 84 of the pipe frame 83, and the liquid solvent within tank lb is heated by the hot solvent vapors projected thereinto through the slits 85. These hot vapors are condensed by the liquid in tank lb and thus serve continuously to supply' pure solvent liquid to this tank, while also heating the liquid on both tanks in the manner stated. The excess liquid supplied to tank 11) overflows into the tank la so as to replenish the supply of liquid therein, and the excess liquid from tank la is returned to the still where it is distilled, the pure solvent vapors being delivered to tank lb, as previously described. The drain pipe provides convenient means for draining off, as required, grease and other impurities which, if permitted to collect in considerable quantity within the still, might result in overheating and decomposition of the liquid solvent.

Grease and other foreign materials which collect in the lower portions of the tanks la and lb are removed by means of the collecting trays 'le previously referred to.

As will be understood by those skilled in this art, changes in construction and arrangement of parts of the invention may be resorted to without departing from the field and scope of the same, and we intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claims, in this application, in which the preferred form only of our invention is disclosed.

What we claim is:

1. In apparatus of the character described, an open top casing for containing in its lower portion a solvent, covers for the top of the casing, means for supporting within the casing articles to be cleaned, means operable exteriorly of the the upper portion of the casing to the lower portion thereof and returning the supporting means to the upper portion of said casing when the covers are closed, said casing comprising suction hoods including plates projecting inward adjacent the top of said casing into proximity to said covers, a plate carried by said supporting means movable therewith and disposed therebeneath when said supporting means is in its upper position, said covers forming with said casing and said plates thereof an enclosure over and about said supporting means, when the latter is in its upper position and said covers are closed, said covers when in open position forming with said plates and the plate carried by said supporting means an open top enclosure extending beneath and about said supporting means and substantially closed to the lower portion of said casing, when said supporting means is in its upper position, and means for drawing off solvent vapors from said suction hoods.

2. In apparatus of the character described, an open top casing for containing in-its lower I portion a solvent, covers for the top of the casing, means for supporting within the casing articles to be cleaned, means operable exteriorly of the casing for moving said supporting means from the upper portion of the casing to the lower portion thereof and returning the supporting means to the upper portion of said casing when the covers are closed, said casing comprising suction hoods opening at their inner sides into said casing adjacent the top thereof having lower plates projecting inward from the sides of said easing into proximity to said covers, a plate carried by said supporting means movable therewith and disposed therebeneath when said supporting means is in itsupper position, said latter plate and said covers comprising segments of a cylinder and having the same radius of curvature,

said covers forming with said casing and said .open top casing for containing in its lower portion a solvent, suction hoods at the top of the casing and open thereto at their inner sides, means for supporting within said casing articles to be cleaned, said supporting means being movable from an upper position to a lower position and vice versa, covers for said casing comprising segments of a cylinder and having the same radius of curvature, said covers extending above said article supporting means in the upper position thereof, said hoods having lower plates extending from the sides of said casing into proximity to said covers and forming therewith and with the upper portion of said casing an enclosure over and about said supporting means, when the latter is in its upper position and said covers are closed, a plate movable with said supporting means comprising a segment of a cylinder having the same radius of curvature as said covers and extending beneath said supporting means in the upper position of said supporting means, said plate and the upper portion of said casing forming with said covers an open top enclosure about and beneath said supporting means, when the latter is in its upper position and said covers are in full open position, and means for drawing off solvent vapors from said suction hoods.

4. Inan apparatus of the. character described, a casing for containing in its lower portion a solvent, suction hoods projecting inward from opposite sides of said casing adjacent the top thereof each comprising an upper plate and a lower plates spaced apart at their inner edges and defining a suction opening into the top of said casing, said lower plates defining between their inner edges an opening into said casing below said hoods, cooperating covers for the latter opening extending into said casing and pivoted for movement in proximity to and about axes parallel with theinner edges of said lower plates, article supporting means within saidcasing movable into a lower position and an upper position in alignment with said opening, a plate carried by and movable with said supporting means and disposed therebeneath in the upper position of said supporting means, said covers being of such extent as to form with said hood plates and the upper portion of said casing an enclosure about the upper portion of said supporting means, in the upper position of the latter and when said covers are closed, while forming with said lower hood plates and the plate carried by said supporting means an open top enclosure beneath and about said supporting means, when the latter is in its upper position and said covers are in full open position, and means for drawing off solvent vapors from said suction hoods.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing for containing in its lower portion a solvent, suction hoods projecting inward from opposite sides of said casing adjacent the top thereof each comprising an upper plate and a lower plate spaced apart at their inner edges and defining a suction opening into the top of said casing, said lower plates defining between their inner edges an opening into said casing below said hoods, closure means for the latter opening comprising covers movable therethroug' in proximity to the inner edges of said lower plates into open and closed positions, article supporting means within said casing movable into a lower position and an upper position in alignment with said opening, a plate carried by said article supporting means and disposed therebeneath in the upper position of said article supporting means, said covers when closed forming with said lower plates an enclosure over and about said supporting means in the upper position thereof, said covers when open forming closures with the inner edge portions of said lower plates and extending therefrom downward about said supporting means into contact with said plate carried thereby, the latter plate and said covers defining about said supporting means an open top space in communication with said suction openings, when said supporting means is in its said upper position, and means for withdrawing solvent vapors from said suction hoods.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing for containing in its lower portion a solvent, suction hoods at opposite sides of the casing adjacent the top thereof and opening at their inner sides into said casing, each of said areaoer hoods comprising a lower plate projecting inward from the adjacent side wall of the casing, said plates defining between their inner edges an opening into said casing below said hoods, closure means for the latter opening comprising covers movable therethrough in proximity to the inner edges ofsaid plates into open and closed positions, article supporting means within said casing movable into a lower position and an upper position in alignment with said opening, a plate carried by said article supporting means disposed therebeneath in the upper position of said article supporting means, said covers when open forming closures with the inner edge portions of said plates and extending therefrom downward about said supporting means into contact with said plate carried thereby, the latter plate and said covers defining about said article supporting means an open top space in communication with the inner sides of said hoods, when said supporting means is in its said upper position, and means for withdrawing solvent vapors from said suction hoods.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a casing for containing in its lower portion a solvent, suction hoods projecting inward from opposite sides of said casing adjacent the top thereof and open thereto at their inner sides, said hoods defining between them an opening into said casing below said hoods, closure means forsaid opening comprising covers movable therethrough in proximity to the inner sides of said hoods, article supporting means within said casing movable into a lower position and an upper position in alignment with said opening, a plate carried by said article supporting means disposed therebeneath in the upper position of said article supporting means, said covers when closed forming with said hoods an enclosure over and about said supporting means in the upper position thereof, said covers when open forming closures with the lower inner edge portions of said hoods and extending therefrom downward about said supporting means into contact with said plate carried thereby, the latter plate and said covers defining about said article supporting means an open top space in communication with the inner sides of said hoods, when said supporting means is in its said upper position, and means for withdrawing solvent vapors from said suction hoods.

GEORG EDHOFER. GEORG WOLFF. 

